Productivity During Lockdown
Updated: Feb 1, 2021
How to maintain productivity and a good routine during lockdown and beyond.
Roughly one year ago, Covid-19 was beginning. We were aware of the deadly virus in Wuhan but never thought it would spread on the scale it has, or keep us isolated for almost a year.
As the months went on we started to realise that it wasn't going to go away any time soon and we had to learn to live with it - at least for the meantime. We were introduced to zoom calls for communicating with others, meetings and learning, we took advantage of our daily walk allowance to get space from our homes, and we wear masks. But adjusting to this lifestyle hasn't been easy for everyone. Some people may still be travelling to work, some may be working from home, some unemployed, so productivity will mean something different to each person.
Having a productive routine can also improve our mental health by giving us a sense of achievement. Since working with secondary aged students this academic year, I have had to ensure I have a productive routine, as well as having to help the students improve their own.
Here are my tips to staying productive:
GET DRESSED EVEN IF YOU AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE
If you are at home most days or all days in the week, it can be tempting to stay in your pyjamas all day. But by staying in your loungewear you may stay in the mindset of relaxing.
By getting dressed, even if it's into comfy normal clothes (no one is asking you to get into your work suit!), you may enter in the mindset of getting things done.
This may be a small action but it makes a big difference. Before lockdown you would have gotten dressed on most days, so by keeping to a similar routine will make our days feel more normal.
MADE TO-DO LISTS FOR THE NEXT DAY
Every evening before you go to bed, write a to-do list for the next day. Writing this list before bed, with a fresh idea of what needs to be done when you wake up, can help you straight to it in the morning. You could also write these lists at the end of the work day for the next days work - whatever works best for you.
These can be written in a diary, on a scrap piece of paper or on the notes page on your phone. Just having it documented for you to see the next day helps you get into the flow and manage your day well.
MAKE SURE YOUR WORKSPACE IS OPTIMAL FOR FOCUS
There is nothing more distracting than a messy and cluttered work area. Keeping your desk clean and your work room tidy may seem like an unnecessary and inconvenient task but it goes a long way.
Try to work away from distractions, such as the TV, the fridge (yes, we see you!) and your bed. Of course, some of these distractions are unavoidable in some living circumstances, so do what you can for yourself.
For those of you who are not working and don't necessarily need a work space, just keeping your house or room tidy with an open window for fresh air should do the trick.
CREATE A ROUTINE OR DAILY RITUAL
Keeping to a routine can make a massive difference to our productivity, especially during lockdown. Some of us may already have a routine set in place, particularly if we are working from home, and some of us will have nothing planned - and that is okay!
By creating a ritual or routine for each day we are able to achieve small goals which give us gratification, and this makes us happy! For some, a strict routine with an hour by hour plan may be the best way to stay productive, but for others just doing one task is an achievement.
If you are having difficulties or have a bad relationship with sleeping, your diet or exercise, perhaps start here. A simple goal of having breakfast each morning or turning your phone off 1 hour before sleep is good enough.
BE SELF-AWARE OF YOUR HEALTHY AND BAD HABITS
We all have habits, some of them good and some of them bad. After all we are only human. These habits may also change from time to time or be more prevalent at a certain times of the year or in certain situations.
It is okay to have bad habits as long as we are aware of them. One bad habit you may have is obsessing over COVID-19 news. Once we recognise that this is a bad habit because it is creates a negative response within us, we can then find ways to reduce or stop this. Think about what your bad habit or habits are - how can you change these?
In relation to our good habits, lets recognise these and praise ourselves for them. If you have been doing more exercise recently or eating more fruits and vegetables, be proud of yourself.
I recognise that not all of these tips would be helpful for everyone, and some may be unattainable. Take from these what you need and at your own pace.
LET'S STRIVE FOR WELLBEING
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